


Down into Nightmares

by Shiary



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:06:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27551236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shiary/pseuds/Shiary
Summary: Brian Lockheart once told his wife that he'd happily burn down anyone that hurt his friends. He hadn't expected being forced to do just that after a certain creepy Shinra doctor decides to revisit Niflheim.
Relationships: Var Strife & Rells & Brian Lockheart
Comments: 11
Kudos: 65





	Down into Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

  * For [She_sees_in_the_dark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/She_sees_in_the_dark/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Son](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23071255) by [She_sees_in_the_dark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/She_sees_in_the_dark/pseuds/She_sees_in_the_dark). 



> Any error or deviation in characterization is mine and mine alone. 
> 
> Based on She_sees_in_the_dark's amazing ff7 fic, "Son".

Brian knew something was wrong the moment he opened the door and found Claudia beyond it. In a brief moment, he’d noticed the grip she had on Cloud and the way her eyes darted around as though expecting trouble. He stepped aside without a word and made sure to lock the door behind her.

Sasha was just as quick to notice Claudia’s mood as she offered to take Cloud up with Tifa so they could play together. It wasn’t until the children were out of sight that Claudia’s posture faltered. 

Not good. 

Brian knew first hand how much it took to get such an expression from her, and usually it meant someone ~~that damned hunter~~ had screwed up and gotten seriously injured. Claudia took two deep breaths before she spoke in a low, slightly rough voice. “They haven’t come back yet.”

Brian raised a brow, thankful that she knew him well enough by now to interpret the motion correctly. “Var and Rells, they went to check near the mansion this morning.” Claudia explained.

“Those idiots!” Brian cursed, keeping his voice down even though he wanted to scream. “Why would they go there?” Even as he asked the question, Brain knew why. 

Vincent and Sephiroth.

Ever since that night, the knowledge of what had been done to two of the kindest people Brian knew had been a weight on his heart. He knew it was the same for everyone else who had been there that night, who’d heard what Vincent had chosen to trust them with. A trust that was to be treasured and sustained to the best of their abilities.

When news came from the incredibly pissy man that Shinra was sending a group of men to what was left of the mansion, a group that included certain members of the Science department, they’d all agreed that Vincent and Sephiroth had to leave for a while. Vincent hadn’t needed much convincing to keep Seph out of Shinra’s reach.

Brian, Var, and Rells had kept a careful eye on the movements of the group; all three determined not to allow what had happened to their Hunter and his kid to happen to anyone else. Now that Shinra had left the area once more, including the creepy bastard that made Brian want to scrub himself raw just by being near him, it was likely that Var and Rells had stupidly decided to double check that no new victims had made their way into what was left of the mansion.

Claudia confirmed his thoughts, “They wanted to make sure nothing had been done.” Her eyes were hard despite the worry in them. Brian had no doubt that if Cloud had been a few years older, she might have insisted on accompanying them.

“I’ll go get them.” Brian promised. And if they were hurt… Brian would deal with that if it happened. “Should I bring them back here or…” He started grabbing what he needed to make the trip ~~and possible rescue~~. Most of it was already ready in the bag hung behind his desk, a habit from his mercenary days that he’d kept up, but his guns were stored somewhere out of Tifa’s reach.

“If they’re injured…” Claudia started to say, pausing as her breath hitched before she recovered, “If they’re injured then it’d be best to bring them to our place.” Brian nodded as he strapped the holsters in their place.

Mentally double checking his gear, Brian climbed the stairs two by two to let Sasha know he was going. “Stay safe.” She whispered as she kissed him. Brian cupped her cheek for a moment, imprinting the image in his mind before he nodded firmly and turned away to step into the evening darkness.

Taking the path to where the mansion once stood would be foolish as it was likely watched but there were other ways to it. Vincent had shown Brian a few and he had, in turn, showed him a few more that ran along the original blueprints of the mansion. It was one of those, what remained of a forgotten servant path, that Brian took. It had been built to hide all movements on the path since servants were not supposed to be seen by their masters.

Where once was a large mansion, barely kept in one piece by the occasional visits from Shinra, now stood nothing more than burnt timber and foundation. Vincent had told them the basement, where he’d been imprisoned, was still intact despite the damage his Turk partner had done to it and that no one should go there as the ground was unstable. 

Brain frowned as he took in the result of Shinra’s visit to the site. The ground had been dug to expose the basement, bright lights keeping the area lit, and he could see at least 5 guards patrolling what appeared to be stairs leading down. There went Brian’s hope that Var and Rells had only had the misfortune of falling somewhere and would need help getting back out. The guards were much too awake and wary not to have come across his friends.

He crept closer slowly, keeping an ear out for any other soldier and for the sound of their regular check ins. The darkness of the mountains was familiar to Brian and he made full use of it, circling around the lighted areas until he was ready to strike. He gathered that there were a dozen soldiers still in place, guarding some scientists left behind by that creep Hojo to finish cleaning up the laboratories.

Then he caught a soldier saying, “How long do you think the scientists will waste on those country bumpkins we caught earlier? I promised my girlfriend I’d be back in time for our anniversary.” to his companion. The utter disregard for Var and Rells life was just another reason to act quickly.

Brian did just that. He waited until the next check in before striking, the weight of his gun a comfort in his palm. The shots were nearly silent and struck true, the patrolling guards going down before they could understand the situation. Brian stepped under the lights to check they were dead and grab one of the radios before he made his way down into Vincent’s nightmare.

It was nothing like Brian's nightmares had made it to be. It was worse. The sharp scent of cleaning agents filled his nose, blocking any other scent, as he silently descended. He could hear low voices echoing through the otherwise empty stairs, muffled by the new door standing at the bottom.

Brian heard enough to know the rest of the soldiers were staying beyond the door. He tested the handle and grinned as he found it unlocked. He slid his hand into his bag and found the small device he needed with ease. It was a heavy cube with three distinct wires emerging from one of its sides. It was an old thing, something Brian had smuggled out from his previous employers, but it would do what he needed it to.

It took only a few seconds for Brian to connect the device to the exposed electrical wires. The moment the third of the wires was connected, a series of sharp crackles came from the electrical system while several cries of anger and surprised came from beyond the door.

Brian kicked the door open, diving sideways into the utter darkness. Gunfire shot towards the empty doorway and gave Brian the location of each soldiers. 9 shots later and the room was deadly silent, except for the continued demands for an explanation that came from beyond a set of steel double doors.

Brian reloaded his gun before he headed to it. There was a chance he'd missed a soldier that wasn't in the room and he was unwilling to take any chances when the lives of his friends were in his hands. He pried one of the doors open slightly and listened.

"What are those idiots doing out there? How can we start the experiment without power!"

"What's the rush? Dr. Hojo doesn't care about the results of this. We just have to do it until we get rid of the leftovers."

"Ugg. Such a waste of good mako. At least we aren’t using any of the good subjects.”

Fury burnt through Brian’s veins at the callous words spoken. He wasted no time in turning on his flashlight and using the confusion to shot the bastards before they could react. The thump of their bodies on the ground almost hid a groan from further in. Brian cast the light around the room, recognizing it as some kind of pre-surgery room, before he found another set of doors, these ones of heavy see-through plastic, leading into an operating room.

“Var! Rells!” Brian recognized them instantly. He pried the doors open, his heart pounding in a mixture of relief and fear. Both men were half naked, strapped down with metal clamps on steel tables. A set of glowing IV bags were ready for use on either side of them, each linked to some kind of large vat that bore only the smallest resemblance to a medical mako tank.

Brian shone his light over his friends, his heart stuttering for a moment at the amount of blood staining Rells face and hair. It was only the regular movement of his chest that kept him from panicking at the sight. “Lock...heart?” Brian shifted his attention to Var, quickly shifting the light away from his face as the man gave a pained cry.

“I’m here Var.” Brian leaned over the clamps, gritting his teeth at the lack of visible seams. “Are you hurt anywhere?” He had a few potions and one high-potion in his bag that he was more than willing to use on them should they need it but he couldn’t give it without knowing if there were broken bones that needed to be splinted first.

“Nothing serious. Rells got hit pretty bad though.” Var’s rough voice made Brian want to resurrect the bastards responsible for it so he could kill them again, slower and much more painfully. 

A thought for another time, one to enjoy once they were out of this nightmarish place and his friends no longer in pain. 

Brian turned to Rells, the lack of light forcing him to carefully trail hands over his body in order to check for injuries that could cause harm if he gave the man a high-potion. Considering the situation, it was something he wouldn’t have even considered without explicit permission from his friend but needs must. Finding no broken bone or dislocations, Brian was glad to drip some of it over the large gash that marred Rells’ forehead.

He kept speaking quietly with Var as he searched the room for the release mechanism, swearing as he was forced to back track to the circuit disruptor in order to get it working again. It took far too long before Brian had Rells in his arms and Var walking, unsteadily but very much on his own, behind him as they left the basement. 

They were halfway back to Niflheim when a crimson figure dropped from above to stand in front of them. Brian had his gun drawn and pointed before he recognized who it was. “You should know better than to surprise an armed soldier, Hunter.”

Vincent shrugged, an arm extended to cast Cura on the group before he had fully straightened. “And you should know better than to walk into a living nightmare.”

Brian shifted Rells back to a more comfortable position before moving past Vincent with a shrug. “Tell that to these two once Claudia’s looked at them. I know I’ll be enjoying the show while planning my own conversation with them.” He felt more than heard the sigh from the man but was glad to glimpse him offering Var his shoulder nonetheless.

If anyone had looked towards the Shinra mansion that night, they might have noticed a darker than usual cloud rising from where it once stood. Brian had promised to burn down any place responsible for hurting those he called his own. 

And he always kept his promises.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it!


End file.
